SunTrust Bank Reviews

Average Score:

WORST BANK EVER

I opened an account with SunTrust Bank because of the mileage program they have with Delta Airlines. I have had nothing but trouble with completing just the most basic of functions to the point that I will have to close my account after 4 months with them.

When I first opened my account, they issued the debit card with the name spelled wrong. When I informed them of this they advised that they could not correct the misspelled name without closing the account and opening a new one. That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard.

In addition, I have had my debit card repeatedly frozen because of alleged suspicious charge activity – even though there is no unusual activity. This has happened over and over. They never call me first. Instead you are at a store trying to pay for some small purchase and the card is declined. It has literally happened so much that I have had to call SunTrust about a dozen times in a four month period to keep having them unfreeze the account. In fact, a supervisor advised they could not determine why my card kept being frozen and should not be.... the problem is, SunTrust does not know what they are doing.

When you cannot get access to your money you need to find a different bank. Save yourself the headaches and wasted time. Don’t even give them a try.

Posted by john_stifter4 -- Jan. 9, 2011

Can I give a negative star rating?

Consistently, I have been misdirected on every call, been given misinformation by customer service representatives and loan officers who clearly do not have knowledge of the products they sell, dealt with rude employees and after weeks of calling every still have not even been able to apply for the refinance never mind get approved!!

Intentionally withholds information about programs that may be most beneficial to the consumerIssues even with simple transactionsRepresentatives don't have any experience or knowledge of products

Posted by bkenneway -- Nov. 20, 2010

Great Bank, but be careful.

I've banked with Suntrust for over 4 years. I started my account because a friend was working for them and informed me of the $50 Visa gift card upon opening a new account. That and I wanted an account with a large bank, with multiple ATM locations.

Overall, I've had mostly okay experiences with Suntrust. When I opened my account, the teller was very polite and helpful. I also liked that I was able to choose my own pin and the quickness in which I received my bank card and information.

The most rewarding thing about my Suntrust account is the ease in which I was able to make my daily purchases, with no spending caps or limits. I never had an issue with my own purchaces being flagged as fraud in error, like I have with some other banks, and I've always been able to reach them for customer support at any time.

The only thing that I dislike about my Suntrust account is the overdraft fees and the way they accrue. For even the smallest overdrafts, they charge $35. And if it is not cleared up within a week, another $35 is charged. When they usually inform you of the overdraft by mail, these charges can add up before you're even aware of them.

I still enjoy Suntrust for all the reasons listed above, with the exception of how they handle overdrafts. I was also disappointed when the teller that opened my account failed to apply me for my $50 gift card, after stating that she would. But other than that, they've been a good institution to bank with, consistently. I would recommend them for people in the South, who want a large number of locations and ATM's in a bank, but be careful of fees and the fine print.

Posted by coppercow -- Nov. 19, 2009

FRIENDLY, FIENDLY Bank!

I have banked with SunTrust since 2007. I ended up choosing Suntrust because they were offering a $50 Visa gift card or $50 donation to your favorite charity for opening an account with them. I absolutely love SunTrust Bank, they always help me whenever I need help and go above and beyond. They call me right back whenever I need help, they don't make me wait forever like some other banks. My checking account suites all my needs, I get free check, money orders, official checks, identity theft protection, etc and all with no minimum balance requirement or monthly maintenance fees. I don't think there is anything bad I can say about SunTrust, they have always been wonderful to me. In fact, one time I made a mistake by forgetting to write a check in my register and overdrew my account and they ended up refunded all the fees for me, and it was my fault! Also every time I go in to the bank they remember me by name and say welcome to Suntrust; They never miss greeting me at the bank. I would completely recommend this bank to anyone, whether you are affluent or in poverty, SunTrust has a banking account option for everyone!

Posted by Gidget1486 -- Aug. 19, 2009

SunTrust is great!

I have been a customer of SunTrust for over 16 years. I first got an account with this bank when it was named SunBank. Overall, I have enjoyed this company. They have been excellent in terms of technological advances. There online banking options are great, along with numerous ATMs wherever one needs it. I think that the best think about SunTrust is their numerous locations located where I travel. Anywhere I have traveled, I have found that there was a branch very nearby.

The customer service I have also found to be top-notch. Once I had an overdraft because my paycheck was not electronically transferred properly (due to a failure of our HR department); luckily, I contacted a customer service representative and explained my situation. After just a short conversation (that was less than ten minutes in length), the customer service representative said that she would waive the fee since this was the first occurrence of an overdraft and that she saw that the electronic funds transfer occurred a day later. I was very thankful.

I would recommend SunTrust to anyone who is looking for a new bank. They have great customer service and have been very loyal to me. I have had zero complaints over the 16 plus years that I have been a customer there.

Posted by roland.me.davis -- Aug. 13, 2009

My accounts with Suntrust

I have had my SunTrust accounts since 2004 and overall, I have been satisfied with the offered services.Originally, I chose SunTrust Bank for few reasons: 1) I was not happy with my previous account with Bank of Hampton Roads. Bank of Hampton Roads would charge account fees and did no offer additional online services 2) My old business had an agreement with SunTrust Bank and as long as I had a direct deposit there were no fees with the account 3) I wanted a larger bank that I can find in other cities.My overall feeling with the selection of SunTrust is positive. I had a bad experience once when I requested a credit line and instead the bank gave me a loan. I didn't know about it until I received a bill for $20 that was past due. This was the loan installment fee that I never requested. It was past due for 6 months and significantly impacted my credit score as I found out while I was buying a car at that time. Since then I haven't had any issues and I am still with SunTrust.The best thing about the account is that it is free. I also like the ease of the online account and online banking which is free. It is easy to set up bills for automatic payments and transfer balances as needed.The negative of the account is that there is a $10 fee for each transfer when I use my savings account as a credit line to my checking account when there are no funds available in my checking. I really thing that this service should be at absolutely no cost.Another positive thing is the bank’s customer service - in person or on the phone. They have been always helpful to resolve any issues with the account or answer any questions. One time I was charges several fees for bounced checks but it was bank’s fault because they didn’t use my savings as a credit line to my checking. They promptly credit all the amount back and apologized for the error. Also, the tellers at drive through locations are very fast and easy to work with. If you would like a bank of medium size and services SunTrust is right for you. They offer everything you need. But if you would like more services and options I think that you should look for a different bank like Bank of America.

Posted by jurkoz -- July 22, 2009

Easily Accessible Savings Account

I have had the personal savings account that SunTrust offers for over 5 years now. I chose this personal savings account because I already used SunTrust as my primary bank, and had a checking account with them as well. I also wanted to make a little interest on the money that I had saved, but I didn’t want to take my business to another bank. I think this account is just as good as any other basic savings account out there. By far the best thing about the personal savings account is that it if you also have a SunTrust checking account, you will be able to transfer money online with much ease and speed. The worst thing about this account is that the interest rate is relatively low and it has not increased for me since I have had the account. I have spoken with customer service at SunTrust many times, and they are always courteous and they rarely keep me waiting on the phone for more than a few seconds at a time. I would definitely recommend the SunTrust personal savings account to anyone that is looking for a trustworthy and simple bank account to keep some of his or her saved money in.

Posted by nlenow -- July 15, 2009

My experience with Suntrust Free Checking

My Suntrust Free Checking account was opened 4 years ago when I started school at the University of Central Florida. I choose this bank because of its location close to my apartment and because there is a Suntrust and a Suntrust ATM on campus. There are also Suntrust banks in other states so I wouldn't have to worry about my bank being close by if I were to move after college. This has been my main account to pay bills since then because it is recongnized by many loan and insurance companies. Plus it is easy to transfer money to credit card accounts. Whenever I enter a Suntrust building, the staff is always personable and friendly. I have never had an issue with the account, and I am very likely to continue to pay bills through and use Suntrust Free Checking.

Posted by Rockycat25 -- July 13, 2009

Been There, Still Doing That

I originally opened my SunTrust accounts as a new employee in June of 2003. As an employee, there are a few benefits that non-employees do not receive, but terribly many. What is now known as Solid Choice Checking was entitled as Smart Solution Checking Plus. Employees do not have to maintain the minimum balance or have a mortgage or equity line of credit at SunTrust to avoid the monthly maintenance fee as long as we had SunTrust direct deposit to that account. At that time, employees were granted 2 overdraft fee exemptions per year which is just one more than a non-employee account. That is actually an amazing benefit when so many other banks offer nothing of the kind. The only other employee benefit I have is that I can get specialty check designs & duplicate checks for free while standard accountholders receive standard checks at no cost *OR* a $5 discount on other styles. So, ultimately, I get my favorite University of Kentucky duplicate checks at no cost whereas they would otherwise run about $32.50 with only the discount.

All SSP accountholders, however, have up to four 4 non-SunTrust ATM usage fees waived each statement cycle & are eligible for reimbursement of up to $10 for ATM fees charged by other financial institutions. Several years ago, online banking was available only at an additional charge, but now is available for all SunTrust clients regardless of account type. SSP clients are provided with free advanced online services such as downloading account information software such as Quicken, Quickbooks or Microsoft Money. Mobile Banking, accessing & managing the account through a cellular device, is also provided at no charge, but is limited by some carriers. SSP accounts also make accountholders eligible for interest rate discounts on installment loans, equity lines, equity loans & mortgages. At times, SSP accountholders are offered better interest rates for money market accounts & CDs. A small safe deposit box is free or a $40 discount on larger sizes.

It’s very helpful to have all of the various account types interlinked. Even the monthly statement is a combined statement with balances & transactions listed for all related accounts. I do not have to wait for multiple statements to come in the mail or try to compare them to reconcile my accounts each month. However, interlinked accounts can be difficult for some customer service representatives to decipher themselves & even more frustrating to provide answers to customers by phone. The more frustrated the rep becomes, the less clear some answers become. Information on mortgages & some loans are not available to some deposit account reps & vice versa. They mostly will try, but it can become a struggle. Just be forewarned that you probably know more about it than some reps. If there’s a problem, do your best to make it to a physical location.

Ensure you know when your statement cycle starts & ends. SunTrust accounts are assigned varying start & end times based on account type & residency regions. Different accounts even with same account titling & opened on the same day, will not necessarily have the same cycle dates & few, if any, use the first & last days of the month. That impacts minimum balance requirements, calculated interest & remember those free NSF & ATM fees that are based on the statement cycle? Well, better pay attention to when those are assessed to the account, because the last day of one month & the first of the next can happen in the same cycle!

SunTrust has really taken to heart the lifestyle of each customer & has enough flexibility to meet almost everyone’s needs. SunTrust has even partnered with Equifax to provide fee identity theft protection services! I’m no longer an employee & yet I have still retained my SSP account. So, I don’t get the extra non-sufficient fund fee waived, but frankly, I still haven’t found another bank that makes me feel like I’m not in over my head & overwhelmed by financial management.

Posted by ukfeline -- July 12, 2009

SunTrust is Average and Professional

SunTrust is an average bank. I've dealt with several banks and checking accounts over the years, and SunTrust is no better or no worse than any other I've had. The best thing I can say about them is that they have conveniently located branches throughout the region, so no matter when I am, I can find a branch of ATM that I can access without being socked an outrageous fee.

I have been with SunTrust for about five or six years now and decided to consolidate all of my banking services with them. So in addition to the Signature Advantage Checking, I also have a savings account, a CD and they hold my mortgage.

The best thing about the bank and the account is that they are convenient. There are branches near my job and near my house, so I'm never that far away from getting my money. Their online bill-paying is also good.

The worst thing about the bank is their customer service. I think they believe all customers are stupid. The tellers and clerks always seem bored and there is never any friendly chit chat. I realize this is not a requirement of the job, but it sure would be nice to get a smile or a "have a nice day," at the end of my transaction.

Another bad thing about SunTrust is trying to get someone on the phone should you need an answer to a question. Our mortgage lender has always been very responsive, but trying to find someone on the financial services end of the bank who will talk to you on the phone has been less than successful. When you call the 800-number, you are put on hold for what seems forever. That is a frustrating thing and I wish they would do something about it.

Overall, SunTrust is an "OK" bank, but there probably are banks out there which might be a better fit for me personally. It's just too difficult to switch right now, so I am going to stick with SunTrust.